Born in 1941 in Volgograd, Dr. Chuyanov received his doctorate in Physics at Moscow State University in 1976, working on feedback control of plasma instabilities. He worked for short periods during this time also at Culham and Livermore laboratories. At Kurchatov Institute he was involved in the design, construction and experimental programmes of 3 major mirror machines and 2 tokamaks, in different capacities ranging from junior scientific officer up to scientific leader of the project.

He actively participated in the ITER CDA as head of Fusion Engineering Division at Kurchatov and as Leader of the ITER USSR Home Team and member of the ITER Science and Technology Advisory Committee. He was appointed Deputy Director and Head of the San Diego Joint Work Site at the outset of the EDA. In 1999 he became Head of the Garching Joint Work Site.

He was designated as ITER Deputy Director-General for Fusion Science and Technology in July 2006.